1. The test covers many of the the most commonly encountered situations of your daily life.

2. It is done in plain English and not the jargon of court room lawyers.

3. As Texans, applying common sense to the questions will get you most of the way home.

4. Don't read into the questions anything that isn't plainly stated. There are no trick questions.

5. No! I will not post a copy of the test for you to look at, read, study up on or research. That would not be fair to the thousands of Texans who have passed the test fair, square and unassisted. Besides which the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Licensing Service would show me their "unhappy face" if I did.

6. There are only fifty questions. Either multiple choice or true , false. The answers are right there in front of you. There are no essay questions. If you paid attention in class you'll do fine. Any questions you might miss upon review you will probably slap your forehead and comment that "I knew that! What was I thinking"!

7. Don't rush. There are no points for speed, but your first answer is probably the correct one.

8. Think in terms of the test being a guide to how to conduct yourself once you are licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

The CHL rules on renewal are:

1: The CHL renewal course cannot be taken more than six months prior to expiration.

2: There is no "grace period". Expired license means no license to carry.

3: The renewal must be submitted on the renewal application obtained from the Texas Department of Publice Safety. Renewal application obtained online or from DPS by phone call or by mail in accordance with the renewal notice.

4: Renewal notice will be sent to the address on file for the license holder. If the CHL holder moved without notifying the DPS ( CHL suspendable violation ) the CHL holder probably won't get the renewal notice. USPS is not supposed to forward the notice.

5: If the CHL expires the CHL holder has one year, maximum, to get the renewal into the DPS as a remewal. Failure to so results in increased cost of replacing the license to the holder.

"Preferred guns for the average female?" by Rodney McCoy

All the obvious jokes aside this question has the potential for many answers. So here are my thoughts and the final answer may surprise you.

There is no average female at least from the firearms point of view. Firearms are completely non-sexist. They don't know who is holding them. They don't know your size, weight , age, race, ethnicity or anything else about you. They just know to do what you tell them to do. Ok, enough of the philosophy. Lets get down to facts.

The overall size of the firearm is going to mean a lot in your final decision of which firearm to purchase ,carry and feel comfortable shooting. A firearm thats so small that you cannot comfortably hold it is just as bad as one thats too large for your hands. Therefore you have to ask yourself "Is this a comfortable fit?" Its a simple question and you'll know the answer instantly.

Ok now. You've answered the size/fit question. Now what about caliber? The firearm you've selected is available in three calibers so you have a choice to make again. Which one is the best caliber? Answer is none of them and all of them. Firearms will teach you Newton's Laws of Physics very quickly. Remember the every action/equal and opposite reaction equation? It applies here. One model of firearm in a smaller caliber will tend to give you less felt recoil (not kick) than the same firearm in a larger caliber. Excluding 460XVRs, 50AE, 454 Casull and the like you should have no problem with just about any firearm caliber available today. Mind over matter applies here and you should know that shooting is 80% mental and 20% physical.

Ok now. We've selected size of gun and caliber. Do we have a choice of sights? For a carry pistol the choice will probably be fixed type with simple drift windage adjustment. White outline, white dot, etcetera can be a real aid. Avoid sharp edges on the sights to prevent snagging and hanging up when drawing your carry pistol. My suggestion only. You should probably avoid match, target type sights for your carry pistol.

With all of the above in mind what is the preferred pistol for the average female? Whatever she feels comfortable with. Opening myself up to flamethrowers of comments here I would suggest that you get what you pay for. I don't see you going wrong by choosing, in no particular order, Browning, Colt, SIG, Beretta, CZ (love the 75 and 83) Walther (just love my PP in 7.65), Para-Ordnance. There are other good ones but these are my favorites. I would suggest staying away from low price point firearms. No need to name names here as you'll know them when you see the price tag and handle it.